Jacob Cummings’ solo debut album Southern & Enlightened is a remarkable blend of intimate storytelling and expansive soundscapes that showcase his evolution from an instrumentalist to a full-fledged artist. Known for his work on 2020’s Slow Paradise and 2021’s Fishing from Heaven, Cummings now steps into the spotlight with his vocals, offering listeners a raw and poignant journey shaped by both personal loss and nostalgia.
The album’s foundation lies in Cummings’ time spent in his late grandmother’s home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, shortly before it was demolished. This setting, paired with the heavy emotional task of sorting through her belongings, became the perfect backdrop for a record that is at once a love letter to his family and an ode to his upbringing by the sea. The resulting music is textured, wistful, and evocative, like an old photograph that perfectly captures the essence of a time and place long gone.
Southern & Enlightened defies traditional genre boundaries, blending indie folk with experimental arrangements that evoke comparisons to the sprawling, atmospheric sounds of bands like Real Estate and Beach House. But there’s a distinct Atlantic influence that runs through the album, making it a unique fusion of coastal nostalgia and experimental folk. The songs are rich with lush instrumentation, from intricate guitar work to atmospheric keys, painting a vivid picture of Cummings' childhood and memories of the Florida coastline.
The lead single, Big Ol’ Deer, serves as the perfect introduction to Cummings' sound, offering a melancholic yet expansive acoustic-driven journey. It’s a song that captures both the sorrow of the past and the beauty in letting go, bringing to mind the deeply emotional songwriting of Bon Iver and Pinegrove.
Cummings’ voice, paired with carefully layered instrumentation, builds a haunting atmosphere that draws listeners in from the first note.
Southern & Enlightened also shines with tracks like Incarnations, which showcases Cummings' experimental side with an upbeat indie folk rhythm, and Joan, a dreamy ballad that encapsulates the album’s themes of impermanence and memory. The wistful nature of the song mirrors the fleeting moments Cummings reflects on throughout the record, while his thoughtful arrangements give depth to every note.
A defining aspect of Southern & Enlightened is the accompanying full video, shot and directed by Cummings in Florida. The visuals perfectly mirror the tactile, sensory nature of the music, reinforcing the album's deeply personal themes of place and memory. With this project, Cummings has crafted not only a compelling sonic experience but also an immersive visual journey that enhances the emotional weight of his music.
In Southern & Enlightened, Jacob Cummings offers a captivating exploration of loss, memory, and the passage of time, all while crafting a lush, experimental soundscape that feels both timeless and uniquely his own. This album is an impressive debut that will resonate with fans of introspective, genre-blurring indie folk.
Stream 'Southern & Enlightened' in full here:
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